Chapter 310: The Tin Knight and the Meaning of the Sacred Treasures (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 310: The Tin Knight and the Meaning of the Sacred Treasures (2)
When measuring a person's ability, the standard, ironically, is not the person themselves.
It's the losers they've defeated.
No matter how great a hero's abilities, if their opponents are all on the level of neighborhood thugs, their reputation will be no better than that of a thug leader.
In that sense, the self-proclaimed Knight King and so-called Fool King of Ionia was rather unfortunate.
The Kingdom of Ionia was a peripheral nation in the eastern part of the continent, and the average skill of the knights born and raised there was low compared to those of the Empire and the Magic State.
This was, in a way, unavoidable.
Unlike the Empire and the Magic State, which were pressed against each other and competitively built up their strength and substance, the isolated eastern kingdom had relatively little need to grow stronger.
When the only enemies to defeat were wild magic beasts or bandits, what was the point of pouring unnecessary blood, sweat, and taxes into raising the knights' standards?
So, even when the king proved his valor by beating his own knights, the nobles didn't consider it a particularly great feat.
He might be a strong king within the kingdom, but compared to those colossal nations, he was just another run-of-the-mill knight.
And this very king, who was so subtly unacknowledged in his own country, was now in a very good mood.
“Hahahaha! Excellent! Wonderful! Crossing swords with Sir Sigurd every day makes me feel like my dull body is regaining its vitality!”
“I suppose so. A king is bound to grow heavy in his seat, whether by his own will or not.”
“How true. In that sense, I truly envy Sir Sigurd. To serve a beautiful lady as his master, travel the world, obtain historical treasures, and cross swords with powerful foes! How magnificent! If I could, I would want to take his place myself!”
“I appreciate the sentiment, but the spot next to me belongs to Sig, so that would be impossible.”
“Hmph, it can’t be helped. Only a scoundrel would interfere with the firm bond between a master and servant!”
“Fufu, I’m so glad we understand each other!”
Hahahaha!
The two of them let out loud bursts of laughter.
Watching them, Dorothea quietly covered her face with her hands.
Rubbing her eyes with her palms, she asked Marquis William Hemming, who stood beside her with a look of transcendent detachment.
“I’d like to ask a few things.”
“Ask away. I shall answer what I can.”
“Why did we have to come to the dining hall to meet the king, not the audience chamber?”
“His Majesty believes that a disciplined life builds a strong body and insists on eating at a set time.”
“Then he could have just summoned us after he finished eating.”
“He said that since you all must be tired from your long journey, it would be nice to share a meal together.”
“Then why is that man wearing armor while eating?”
“He even sleeps in his inner armor, so a meal is hardly a big deal.”
“No, I mean… you know what, never mind. Come to think of it, he was like that when he was sitting on the throne, too.”
Dorothea fell silent, as if too tired to poke any more holes in the situation.
As if taking the baton, Adelaide asked.
“Um, Sir Gale and His Majesty seem to be getting along very well… Is that alright?”
In preparation for when her journey ended, the lioness had recently taken an interest in aristocratic conduct and politics.
And based on that knowledge, a king laughing and chatting with a young lady from another nation (or someone of a similar standing) in a dining hall was grounds for all sorts of controversy.
The king was in his mid-thirties, and assuming Gale was around Dorothea’s age, she was in her late teens or early twenties. In this era, it wasn't a particularly large age gap.
To that question, William answered with eyes as lifeless as a dead fish.
“The lady eating a salad over there is the Queen.”
At William’s words, Adelaide’s gaze snapped to the side.
In a corner of the table sat a very dignified noblewoman, watching the king and Gale with not even a hint of jealousy in her eyes.
Rather, it was more like… she seemed pleased, with an air that said, ‘My child finally made a friend!’
“His Majesty and the Queen have been together since they were seven. She possesses a composure that is nearly immune to His Majesty’s antics.”
Did this man just call his own lord’s actions ‘antics’ in a public place?
Adelaide cautiously glanced around, but neither the servants nor the royal guards seemed to pay any mind to William’s words. The atmosphere was one of collective acceptance.
“…Well, it’s a relief that they get along!”
Adelaide gave up trying to understand.
Next was Sophia.
“My, the wall decorations are quite peculiar. Is there a local custom or culture associated with hanging damaged armor?”
“No, those are the suits of armor he wore during his princely days when he went around challenging people to duels under the pretext of inspecting the country, before finally crashing into the Witch of the East.”
“Oh, my.”
“The Witch of the East would normally curse any noble family that visited her, but there’s a theory that she refrains from placing serious curses on envoys from the royal family, though she may ignore them, because of that connection. According to His Majesty, the witch said, ‘If you deal with a fool seriously, you become a fool yourself,’ but the truth of it is unclear. His Majesty himself said he was in a near-death state and his memory was hazy.”
“Oh, my…”
Even the great Sophia covered her mouth with her hand.
[The ‘Tin Knight’s’ eyes gleam, thinking it’s his turn next!]
The Tin Knight was about to voice a question, but just then, William cleared his throat and stepped forward.
“Your Majesty. The apprentice of the Witch of the East, Dorothea Aschengard, and her party have arrived.”
“Oh, oh! I’ve been waiting for you! Come, please, have a seat!”
[The ‘Tin Knight’ laments, asking why he doesn’t get to speak!]
Whether the Tin Knight grumbled or not, neither Marquis William nor the king paid him any mind.
It was only natural, as they couldn't hear the Tin Knight's voice in the first place. It was a harsh world for a character without a voice actor.
Once the party was seated, the king grinned and spoke.
“Some familiar faces, and some new ones. I am Alonso, the king of Ionia and a knight in my own right. It’s a pleasure.”
*
“Hoh, to think such villains were running rampant in these eastern lands! It is truly deplorable!”
“A flock of Golden Monkeys with Wings! The title of Golden Alchemist is well-deserved indeed!”
“The Thracus martial arts tournament! In my youth, I too attempted to participate in disguise. I was about to sneak out when my mother fell ill, so I had to return immediately and failed.”
“Hah, such a thing happened in the Kingdom of Heaven’s territory? Some nobles occasionally suggest we should create our own holy territory to receive greater benefits, but it seems I was right to reject them!”
“Ooh! The revival of the Lion Duke! It is a true pity that I could not cross swords with him myself!”
Throughout the meal, King Alonso of Ionia never stopped talking.
He seemed incredibly interested in the adventures of Dorothea’s party, and that interest soon turned into a barrage of questions.
Dorothea wasn't personable enough to match the king's cheerful mood, and Adelaide, facing the former lord of her father, was visibly tense.
Since the unvoiced Tin Knight couldn't carry a conversation, the role of spinning tales for Alonso ultimately fell to Sophia.
Given that she barely touched her food anyway, she was, in a way, the right person for the job.
As the two of them were deep in conversation, Dorothea nudged the white witch, Gale, who was sitting next to her.
“Dorothea, your table manners are lacking. But that’s fine. Friends can do that. I’ll have to poke you back next time. Hmm, your waist is so thin. It’s not like you’re thin everywhere else, so what do you eat to get like this?”
“Save your nonsense. What is this situation? Why are you here?”
“Well, we can’t just have our final duel anywhere, can we?”
Gale replied nonchalantly, as if Dorothea had asked the most obvious question.
“Two of the eight sacred treasures are with me, and the other six are with you and your companions. In other words, when we face off this time, this race to find the sacred treasures will be over. It would be too sad for this monumental moment to lack a proper audience and stage. So I picked a suitable place.”
“Someone else's royal capital is a ‘suitable place’? Besides, that king over there is technically my employer. Did it not occur to you that you’ve walked right into the heart of enemy territory?”
“Fufu. Are you worried about me?”
“Worried? Don’t be ridiculous. I’m speaking objectively.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Gale declared coolly.
“If, by some chance, you were acting not as a traveler but as the vanguard of a nation, Dorothea, that would be a choice in itself. But then, I would simply change my actions accordingly. It’s not like any of you walked on eggshells in the heart of the Empire, the Federation, or the Magic State, did you?”
The girl in the white magician’s outfit puffed out her chest proudly, as if to say that she and the White Knight had no intention of falling behind.
Dorothea watched her with narrowed eyes before shaking her head.
“Fine, what can I say to you? So, how are we settling this? Another fight like last time?”
“Yes. But last time it was 2-on-2. This time, let’s go with 4-on-4.”
“…? Did you pick up more companions somewhere?”
“They aren’t companions who travel with me constantly like yours, Dorothea, but I have gathered people who will join me for this event. Oh, and I won’t tell you who they are until the match. That would spoil the fun.”
Although she felt suspicious of Gale’s mischievous smile, as if she had prepared a surprise party, Dorothea ultimately had no other choice.
“Fine. Let’s settle this once and for all.”
And so, exactly one day later.
Marquis William Hemming announced, a faint smile on his lips as if he had reached enlightenment, his eyes gazing somewhere beyond the mortal plane.
“We will now begin the duel for the sacred treasures.”
─OOOOOOOOH!!
“In the blue corner, the team of four: Dorothea Aschengard, Adelaide von Lennart, Sophia Hubris, and the Tin Knight.”
─WAAAAAAAAAAAH!!
“In the red corner, the team of four: Gale Elilaz, His Majesty Alonso, Camilla, and the White Knight.”
─Wooooo… huh?
“Hey.”
“See? I told you you’d be surprised.”
“HEY!!”
Beside a triumphant Gale, who lifted her chin with pride, stood the ever-serious White Knight. Next to him was Alonso, his eyes sparkling for some reason. And next to him, a certain vampire looked completely lost, as if to say, Where am I, and who am I? Seeing this, Dorothea let out a piercing shriek.